Stuck in ny unemployment limbo for 4 months with zero updates

Same boat my friend. Been waiting since February (going on 5 months now). Last time I called they said 'its in the queue' whatever that means. Its ridiculous how they expect people to survive with no income for months. The system is broken beyond belief.

After 3 months of waiting I finally got through to someone who could actually help. I used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me a callback with a real person. They resolved my pending issue in like 10 minutes once I actually got to talk to them. Talking to an agent got my money unlocked so fast - wish I'd found this months ago. Here's a vid about how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

I waited 3 months and then got denied. Fun times. Then had to appeal and waited another 2 months for THAT decision. The whole system is designed to make you give up.

The real problem is they're still using computer systems from like the stone age. My friend works in IT and says their backlog is partly cuz they're using COBOL programming from the 1980s. Maybe if they updated their tech we wouldn't all be suffering.

Here's what worked for me to get my pending case resolved with NY unemployment: First, document EVERYTHING. Every call, every email, every interaction. Dates, times, reference numbers, and agent names if possible. Second, try multiple contact methods simultaneously: - Keep certifying weekly even while pending - Email your state senator AND assembly person (not just one) - Try calling at exactly 8:00am when they open - Send a secure message through the unemployment portal Third, if all else fails, I found using Claimyr.com was worth every penny. They got me connected to an actual human who could help instead of waiting on hold for hours. The agent I spoke with was able to see exactly what was holding up my claim and cleared it immediately. Fourth, check your spam folder regularly! I missed an important document request for two weeks because it went to spam. Lastly, be persistent but polite with agents. They're dealing with thousands of cases and getting angry doesn't help (though I totally understand the frustration!). Hang in there - the system is awful but eventually it does work if you keep pushing.

i just showed up in person at the unemployment office. waited 4 hours but got my stuff fixed that day. if ur near one, might be worth a shot

CALL YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES!!!!! Cannot stress this enough. I was pending for 3.5 months, called my state senator's office, and my case was resolved in 8 days. They have direct lines to DOL that we don't have access to.

my theory is they just put everyone on pending hoping people will give up or find jobs before they have to pay us 🤔

Check your online account for any outstanding documents or questionnaires they need! My claim was stuck because apparently they sent me an email about needing additional info, but the email went to spam so I never saw it. Once I uploaded the docs they needed, it got approved in a week.

They're the absolute worst. I filed in May and didn't get a dime until August. What finally worked was I found a number to a specific department (can't remember which one now) and just kept calling it every single day until someone took pity on me and transferred me to someone who could help.

My advice: If ur claim is stuck in pending for more than 6 weeks, its probably flagged for manual review. Could be identity verification, employer dispute, or random audit. Try calling and specifically asking 'Is there a flag on my account and if so what type?' This worked for me - turned out there was an ID verification flag that nobody had told me about.

if u do the math... if everyone waits 4 months for benefits and 10% give up... that's millions of dollars they don't have to pay. just saying 👀

Does anyone know if they backpay for all the weeks you were pending once approved? Or do you just lose that money?

u tried twitter? sometimes if u tweet at NYSDOL with ur issue they respond faster. embarrassing them publicly seems to work lol. worth a shot!

Stop wasting time on the phone. It never helps. I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) after 3 months of getting nowhere and had my issue fixed in one call. talking to an agent got my $ unlocked so fast